Wrench.



' PATBN-TED JUNE 30, 1903. G. G. LONGARD.

WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 24, 1903.

UNITED STATES Patented June 30, 190 3.

PATENT OFFICE.

.WRENCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 732,306, dated June 30, 1903. Application filed January 24, 1903. Serial No. 140,428. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CLARENCE C. LONGARD, a citizen of Canada, residing at Halifax,-in the Province of Nova Seotia and Dominion of Canada, have invented new and useful Improvements in Wrenches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to wrenches which embody a flexible grasping member and are designed more particularly for gripping and turning pipes and other articles of circular form in cross-section. It has for its general object to provide a wrench of the type defined embodying such a construction that there is geous construction hereinafter described, and

particularly pointed out in the claims appended.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation, partly in section, of my improved wrench as it appears when applied to a pipe. Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken in the plane indicated by the broken line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the slide of the wrench removed. Fig. i is a detail perspective view illustrating the forward portion of the wrench-handle and a portion of the flexible grasping member, and Fig. 5 comprises disconnected perspective views of portions of a modification hereinafter referred to.

Referring by letter to said drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4 thereof, A is the wrench-handle, having shoulders or abutments'ct at an intermediate point of its length and a jaw b extending laterally from its forward end. The jaw is preferably, though not necessarily, bifurcated, as indicated by c, and has an'angular and partially toothed or serrated face d.

B is the flexible grasping member of the wrench, pivotally secured at e in the bifurcation of the jaw 19 when the jaw is provided with a bifurcation, or at the side of the jaw when no bifurcation is formed therein. The said flexible member is preferably composed, in whole or part, of links f g, having notches h in their inner-edges for a purpose presently described.

O is the slide of the wrench. This slide comprises longitudinal threaded portions 2', disposed and movable at opposite sides of the handle A, and a head j, which extends laterally from the forward endsof. the longitudinal portions in the direction opposite to that in which the jaw 17 extends from the handle. The head j is preferably formed by integral angular arms at'the forward ends of the lon gitudinal portions 1' 'and- 'a transverse rod k, which extends-between said arms, Fig. 3, and is designed to engage the notches h of the flexible member after the manner shown in Fig. 1.

and confined between the abutments a of the latter and a pin or other abutment Z, also fixed Oonsequently'it with respect to the handle. will be observed that in addition to adjusting and adjustably fixing the slide the nut serves to hold the same on the handle.

I desire it distinctly understood that the .flexible member of my improved wrench may m, which extend beyond the outer sides of the.

links f, while the slide 0 differs from the slide 0 in that it is formed of one piece and has seats 70 in its rear side to receive the pintles m of the member 13.

In using my improved wrench the flexible member B is passed around a pipe, Fig. 1, and one of its links is placed in engagement with the head of the slide, after which the operator turns the nut and moves the slide toward the right on the handle A, and thereby draws the flexible member snugabout the pipe. WVith this done the wrench-handle is pressed downwardly, when, as will be readily observed, the flexible member will move around the pipe as the gripping-teeth 01 move against the pipe. The adjustable slide is for the purpose of allowing the gripping-teeth to move far enough around the pipe so that the pipe will lie in the angle of the crutch, whereby the head of the wrench will have two bearings on the pipe or bar to be turned instead of one. After the adjustment of the slide to loosen the flexible member and assure the pipe lying in the angle of the crutch, the slide is adjusted to tighten the flexible member, if necessary, and pressure is applied to the wrench to turn the pipe.

The crutch formed by the jaw b and the head of the slide serves to complete the circle about the pipe, and by so doing precludes crushing of the pipe when pressure is placed on the wrench-handle to turn the pipe, which is an important advantage and one not common to wrenches having but a single bearing against a pipe or other tube.

The angular formation of the face of jaw b is advantageous, since it adapts the crutch to and enables the wrench to properly grip pipes or rods of different diameters.

I have entered into a detailed description of the construction and relative arrangement of the parts embraced in the present and preferred embodiment of my invention in order to impart a full, clear, and exact understanding of the same. I do not desire, however, to be understood as confining myself to such specific construction and relative arrangement of parts, as such changes or modifications may be made in practice as fairly fall within the scope of my invention as claimed.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. A wrench comprising a handle having a jaw, a slide adjustable on the handle, and having a portion arranged to serve in conjunction with the handle jaw, to form a crutch, and a flexible grasping member connected with the handle-jaw and adapted to be connected with the slide.

2. A wrench comprising a handle having a lateral jaw at its forward end, a slide adjustable on the handle, and having a lateral head at its forward. end extending in the opposite direction with reference to the handle-jaw, and arranged to serve in conjunction with said jaw to form a crutch, and a flexible grasping member connected with the handle-jaw and adapted to be connected at different points in its length with the head on the slide.

3. A wrench comprising a handle having abutments, an exteriorly-threaded slide movable lengthwise on the handle,a flexible grasping member connected with the handle and adapted to be connected with the slide, and

an interiorly-threaded nut surrounding and engaging the threaded slide, and interposed between the abutments of the handle.

4. A wrench comprising a handle having abutments, and also having a lateral jaw, a slide having exteriorly-threaded, longitudinal portions, disposed at opposite sides of the handle, and also having a lateral head at its forward end extending in the opposite direction with reference to the handle-jaw, an interiorly-threaded nut surrounding and engaging the threaded portions of the slide, and interposed between the abutments of the handle, a flexible grasping member connected to the handle-jaw, and coacting means on the flexible member and the head of the slide whereby said member may be connected at different points in its length to said head.

5. A wrench comprising a handle having a jaw, a slide adjustable on the handle, and having a bifurcated portion adapted in conjunction with the handle jaw, to form a crutch, and also having a transverse rod extending across said portion, and a flexible member connected to the handle-jaw; said flexible member comprising links having notches adapted to receive the transverse rod of the slide.

6. A wrench comprising a handle having abutments at intermediate points of its length, and also having a lateral jaw at its forward end, a slide having exteriorly-threaded longitudinal portions disposed atopposite sides of the handle, and also having a lateral, bifurcated head at its forward end extending in the opposite direction with reference to the handle-jaw, an interiorly-threaded nut surrounding and engaging the threaded portions of the slide, and interposed between the abutments of the handle, and a flexible grasping member connected to the handle-jaw, and comprising links adapted to be placed in engagement with the bifurcated head of the slide.

'7. Awrench comprising a handle having a jaw, the face of which is angular, and is provided with gripping-teeth, a slide adjustable on the handle, and having a portion arranged to serve in conjunction with the handle-jaw, to form a crutch, and a flexible grasping member connected with the handle-jaw and adapted to be connected with the slide.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CLARENCE O. LONGARD.

Vitnesses:

WM. J. COUGHLANS, R. S. FRASER. 

